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Post by 𝘗rincess 𝘵uvstarr on Jul 7, 2021 11:37:07 GMT
Male chatter on another thread made me think of this. Stories and books with the Great God Pan as a theme. He can be central or he can guest. This goat footed god dwelled in Arcadia. And it is said he died, for Thamus sailing the sea heard a mighty voice cry out: "The great god Pan is dead!" But it is not true. As the stories we are about to share will show. His piping is still heard! "By all the echoes that about thee ring, Hear us, O satyr king!"
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Post by 𝘗rincess 𝘵uvstarr on Jul 7, 2021 11:44:49 GMT
Swan mentioned the nice children's book The Wind and the Willows. And Pan appears in chapter 7, as Rat and Mole search for a missing otter child: and then, in that utter clearness of the imminent dawn, while Nature, flushed with fulness of incredible colour, seemed to hold her breath for the event, he looked in the very eyes of the Friend and Helper; saw the backward sweep of the curved horns, gleaming in the growing daylight; saw the stern, hooked nose between the kindly eyes that were looking down on them humourously, while the bearded mouth broke into a half-smile at the corners; saw the rippling muscles on the arm that lay across the broad chest, the long supple hand still holding the pan-pipes only just fallen away from the parted lips; saw the splendid curves of the shaggy limbs disposed in majestic ease on the sward; saw, last of all, nestling between his very hooves, sleeping soundly in entire peace and contentment, the little, round, podgy, childish form of the baby otter. All this he saw, for one moment breathless and intense, vivid on the morning sky; and still, as he looked, he lived; and still, as he lived, he wondered. His piping is heard and the god gifts them forgetfulness. Read the full chapter here: www.cleavebooks.co.uk/grol/grahame/wind07.htm
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Post by helrunar on Jul 7, 2021 11:48:37 GMT
Hi Princess,
Interestingly, one theory about some idiot claiming he heard an unknown cry of "Pan is dead!" while out on the water one day is that there were women on the shore performing a ritual lament for Tammuz (an ancient Mesopotamian deity about whom I don't think any horror stories have ever been written, but I could be wrong). Tammuz was the consort of Ishtar/Astarte. The distortion of the sound carried out over the waves made this individual think they were mourning Pan. I always thought there was something wrong about that story.
Pan is a virile energy and a Presence deeply connected to the life-force of our planet. And yes, He can induce both ecstasy and terror. To me Pan is a beautiful and kindly spirit. He looks just like the Devil of the Xtians so naturally they're afraid--poor dears.
cheers, H.
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Post by helrunar on Jul 7, 2021 11:49:31 GMT
Also, there is an interpretation of the sculpture you posted that Mother Superior would not be best pleased with my telling you, but perhaps you can guess, clever minx that you are.
H.
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Post by 𝘗rincess 𝘵uvstarr on Jul 7, 2021 11:58:07 GMT
Hi Princess, Interestingly, one theory about some idiot claiming he heard an unknown cry of "Pan is dead!" while out on the water one day is that there were women on the shore performing a ritual lament for Tammuz (an ancient Mesopotamian deity about whom I don't think any horror stories have ever been written, but I could be wrong). Tammuz was the consort of Ishtar/Astarte. The distortion of the sound carried out over the waves made this individual think they were mourning Pan. I always thought there was something wrong about that story. Pan is a virile energy and a Presence deeply connected to the life-force of our planet. And yes, He can induce both ecstasy and terror. To me Pan is a beautiful and kindly spirit. He looks just like the Devil of the Xtians so naturally they're afraid--poor dears. cheers, H. Apparently he was still worshipped after this, so most people obviously didn't notice. erenow.net/ancient/thejoyofsexus/71.phpGods prevail as long as people believe in them.
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Post by 𝘗rincess 𝘵uvstarr on Jul 7, 2021 11:59:46 GMT
here is the Pan death story: Whilst Heracleon was musing, and studying how to answer this, Cleombrotus went on, saying: It is not only Empedocles who affirms there are bad Daemons, but even Plato, Xenocrates, and Chrysippus; yea, and Democritus, [p. 23] when he prayed he might meet with good spirits, which shows that he thought there were bad as well as good Daemons. And as to their mortality, I have heard it reported from a person that was neither fool nor knave, being Epitherses, the father of Aemilianus the orator, whom some of you have heard declaim. This Epitherses was my townsman and a school-master, who told me that, designing a voyage to Italy, he embarked himself on a vessel well laden both with goods and passengers. About the evening the vessel was becalmed about the Isles Echinades, whereupon their ship drove with the tide till it was carried near the Isles of Paxi; when immediately a voice was heard by most of the passengers (who were then awake, and taking a cup after supper) calling unto one Thamus, and that with so loud a voice as made all the company amazed; which Thamus was a mariner of Egypt, whose name was scarcely known in the ship. He returned no answer to the first calls; but at the third he replied, Here ! here! I am the man. Then the voice said aloud to him, When you are arrived at Palodes, take care to make it known that the great God Pan is dead. Epitherses told us, this voice did much astonish all that heard it, and caused much arguing whether this voice was to be obeyed or slighted. Thamus, for his part, was resolved, if the wind permitted, to sail by the place without saying a word; but if the wind ceased and there ensued a calm, to speak and cry out as loud as he was able what he was enjoined. Being come to Palodes, there was no wind stirring, and the sea was as smooth as glass. Whereupon Thamus standing on the deck, with his face towards the land, uttered with a loud voice his message, saying, The great Pan is dead. He had no sooner said this, but they heard a dreadful noise, not only of one, but of several, who, to their thinking, groaned and lamented with a kind of astonishment. And there being many persons in the ship, an account of this [p. 24] was soon spread over Rome, which made Tiberius the Emperor send for Thamus; and he seemed to give such heed to what he told him, that he earnestly enquired who this Pan was; and the learned men about him gave in their judgments, that it was the son of Mercury by Penelope. There were some then in the company who declared they had heard old Aemilianus say as much. Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals. Translated from the Greek by several hands. Corrected and revised by. William W. Goodwin, PH. D. Boston. Little, Brown, and Company. Cambridge. Press Of John Wilson and son. 1874. 4. Found here: www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0252%3Asection%3D17
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Post by samdawson on Jul 7, 2021 12:04:09 GMT
Reading that chapter as a child was a revelation. The rest of the book is great, but that change of mood and gravity is rather wonderful. You can see why Pink Floyd were inspired by it. Also very well worth a look is Saki's story The Music on the Hill
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Post by 𝘗rincess 𝘵uvstarr on Jul 7, 2021 12:07:05 GMT
Reading that chapter as a child was a revelation. The rest of the book is great, but that change of mood and gravity is rather wonderful. You can see why Pink Floyd were inspired by it. Also very well worth a look is Saki's story The Music on the Hill Ooh I don't know that one. Thank you.
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Post by Swampirella on Jul 7, 2021 12:07:34 GMT
For what it's worth, I borrowed this from the library a couple of years ago, it was very good. Too bad it's difficult or impossible to find/buy online now.
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Post by dem bones on Jul 7, 2021 12:23:28 GMT
G. O. Olinick Arthur Machen - The Great God Pan: ( The Inmost Light: 1894) Dennis Wheatley [ed.], A Century of Horror, 1936). Elliott O'Donnell - The Pan Night Mystery: (Bran A Netherwood, Uncanny, 1974). Seabury Quinn - The Great God Pan: ( Weird Tales, Oct. 1926) Saki - The Music On The Hill: ( The Chronicles of Clovis, 1911: Humor, Horror & Supernatural, 1974) Final chapter of Dennis Wheatley's Strange Conflict, 1941
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Post by samdawson on Jul 7, 2021 12:26:02 GMT
If you haven't read Saki, you won't be disappointed. There are lots of cheap collections of his work. He was a very amusing Edwardian satirist with a sliver of steel in many of his tales. As the author of a book warning of German expansionism pre-WWI he used influence to get a dangerous frontline posting when the war came, despite his age. And there, apparently much liked by his men, he died, his last words "put out that damned cigarette". He wrote three horror stories (the Pan one, Gabriel-Ernest and Sredni Vashtar), but there are elements of a wicked taste for the sly and horrific in several of his pleasingly funny stories.
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Post by 𝘗rincess 𝘵uvstarr on Jul 7, 2021 12:28:49 GMT
If you haven't read Saki, you won't be disappointed. There are lots of cheap collections of his work. He was a very amusing Edwardian satirist with a sliver of steel in many of his tales. As the author of a book warning of German expansionism pre-WWI he used influence to get a dangerous frontline posting when the war came, despite his age. And there, apparently much liked by his men, he died, his last words "put out that damned cigarette". He wrote three horror stories (the Pan one, Gabriel-Ernest and Sredni Vashtar), but there are elements of a wicked taste for the sly and horrific in several of his pleasingly funny stories. Thank you, I shall try him soon! samdawson are you on goodreads? I didn't see you.
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Post by helrunar on Jul 7, 2021 12:30:50 GMT
Miss Scarlett, I own that book (lucky me--it was a splurge, but Pan has been so important in my life). I thought Reggie Oliver's story in it was really exceptional. There were some other good ones, too, but Reggie's was the one that stood out for me.
H.
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Post by samdawson on Jul 7, 2021 12:38:11 GMT
samdawson are you on goodreads? I didn't see you. I'm not. Is it worth doing? I think I'm happy chatting about books with people or via a site like this
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Post by 𝘗rincess 𝘵uvstarr on Jul 7, 2021 12:42:10 GMT
samdawson are you on goodreads? I didn't see you. I'm not. Is it worth doing? I think I'm happy chatting about books with people or via a site like this It's what some authors do to gain more attention. I think it's used as another outlet to get knowledge of their work out there. Many don't really interact, just update when a new book is coming out. I suppose it allows fans a means of interacting too. Several people on here are on there, maybe they can share feedback about it.
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